The second season of the American dramedy-mystery television series Desperate Housewives commenced airing in the United States on September 25, 2005 and concluded on May 21, 2006. The season continues the story of the Wisteria Lane residents, while their seemingly perfect lives in the suburban neighborhood are shaken by the arrival of the mysterious Betty Applewhite. Broadcast in the Sunday night time slot at 9.00 ET, the season aired twenty-four regular episodes, including a two-part season finale. In addition, three clip shows were produced for the season, in order to put the previous events of the show in perspective. "All the Juicy Details" aired before the eleventh episode, detailing the most memorable events of the season's first half, whereas "The More You Know, The Juicier It Gets", which aired before the twentieth episode, prepared the viewers for the highly anticipated season finale. "Time to Come Clean" aired three weeks before the inception of the third season, and reviewed the previous mysteries of the series before introducing the new story lines. The second season had fourteen roles receiving star billing, out of whom eleven were part of the first season's main cast. The main story lines of the season were Susan Mayer's relationship with her former husband, Gabrielle Solis' upcoming motherhood, Lynette Scavo's return to work and the death of Bree Van de Kamp's husband.

The season received mainly negative reviews from television critics, noting Marc Cherry's lack of involvement in the production as one of the main reasons for the series' decreasing quality. Cherry has since said that he regrets most of the second season and that ABC's decision to order an additional episode for the season forced the series to work on an abbreviated schedule.[1] However, the main cast members, as well as the guest stars, received critical acclaim, resulting in numerous awards and nominations. The highest rated episode of the season was the season premiere, watched by 28.36 million viewers, with a 10.1 rating,[2] being the series' second highest rated episode to date. Buena Vista Home Entertainment released officially released the season on DVD in the United States and Canada on August 29, 2006.

While developing storylines for the second season, series creator Marc Cherry stated, "I want to keep finding new ways to talk about issues that relate to everyday women," explaining that the show needs to focus on "small, real, everyday issues" in order to keep the audience interested.[10] Cherry cited the Lynette storyline as an example of this strategy: "Lynette will be returning to her advertising roots next season, so I want to address how difficult it is to go to work all day and then come home and be expected to also take care of your house."[10] Huffman recognized that her character's storylines needed a change of pace, but hoped that Lynette's domestic life would still play an integral role this season. "My hope is to not get lost in the corporate world; that it's still a home and family/husband and children story," she explained. "But how many times can you go, 'Kids, clear your plates!'"[11] The season premiere introduced Lynette's new boss, Nina Fletcher, portrayed by Joely Fisher who describes her character as "nasty", elaborating: "Lynette suddenly has to come up against this tiger lady who never stops reminding Lynette that she's childless by choice. Even though Nina is not a housewife, she is desperate in her own way."[12] Due to the death of his character, Steven Culp did not return to the series for the second season,[13] but provided his face for the open casket scene in the season premiere, which saw the producers create a life mask of the actor.[14]Doug Savant was promoted to series regular after appearing as a recurring guest star throughout the first season.[15]

The season saw the promotion of Alfre Woodard and Mehcad Brooks to series regulars, after they were introduced in the final two episodes of the first season.[10][16] Woodard played Betty Applewhite, a "deeply religious, overbearing single mother" while Mehcad portrayed her son, Matthew.[17] In regards to the characters and their mystery storyline, Cherry stated: "They come on the street; they seem like nice people — but they've got a secret. And it's pretty gothic. It's real and human and awful all at the same time."[10] Woodard commented that her character "never means harm... Let's just say she has flaws. She had to make some really tough decisions quick and if the law ever catches up with her, she'll have to serve time... But they'll never catch her."[18] The final scene in which Betty and Matthew bring food to the prisoner in their basement was originally intended for the first season finale but saved for "Next" instead.[19] While the Applewhites are regarded as the first major black characters on the series,[17][20] Cherry stated that the role of Betty was originally offered to two white film actresses, both of whom turned it down due to financial and time commitment issues.[18] He clarified: "There's nothing strategically black about her character. Her color is incidental."[21] Woodard stated that she had never seen the show before accepting the role, something that led the producers to send her fifteen episodes of the show, which she divided amongst various family members. After they compared storylines, Woodard recalled that she became "instantly hooked" on the series.[18] Woodard reported experiencing heavy media attention after accepting the role.[22] Both Brooks and his brother, Billy, auditioned for the role of Matthew. The final decision came down to both brothers as well as two other actors. According to Cherry, Brooks was cast because he exuded a "dangerous" element, as well as "a combination of this wholesome, sweet quality and a dark, brooding quality."[23]

The second season had fourteen roles receiving star billing, out of whom eleven were part of the first season's main cast. The season sees the promotion of three former guest stars, who begin acting as series regulars from the season's first episode. The series is narrated by Brenda Strong, from the point of view of the deceased Mary Alice Young, as she observes, from a unique perspective, the lives of the Wisteria Lane residents and her former best friends. Susan Mayer, portrayed by Teri Hatcher, is divorcée and single mother, who, in her continuous search for a romantic commitment, ends up in bed with her former husband. Felicity Huffman portrayed Lynette Scavo, who starts neglecting her responsibilities as a mother, after the realization of her undeniable talent for advertising results in her going back to work after a six-year absence. Marcia Cross portrayed Bree Van de Kamp, whose flawless life is shaken after she starts dealing with the aftermath of her husband's death, while trying to overcome her guilt for having dated the man who killed him. Former model Gabrielle Solis, portrayed by Eva Longoria, who suffers a miscarriage just as she starts accepting upcoming motherhood. Nicollette Sheridan portrayed Edie Britt, whose commitment issues and numerous one night stands have made her an iconic character. Ricardo Antonio Chavira played Gabrielle's husband, Carlos Solis, who has to cope with the revelation of his wife's affair with their gardener, while trying to get out of jail. Mark Moses continues his role of widower Paul Young, who tries to cover up the murder of his adoptive son's biological mother. Zach Young, portrayed by Cody Kasch, finally learns about his true identity, but refuses to be a part of his father's life, whereas Julie Mayer, Susan's daughter portrayed by Andrea Bowen, deals with her parents' unexpected reconciliation. James Denton portrayed Mike Delfino, who has to deal with both his break-up with Susan Mayer, and his recently discovered biological son. Previously a recurring character throughout the last episodes of the previous season, Betty Applewhite, portrayed by Alfre Woodard, was conceived as a new resident of Wisteria Lane, whose mysterious arc is the season's main storyline. Also promoted from guest stars to series regulars were Doug Savant and Richard Burgi, who portrayed Tom Scavo and Karl Mayer, respectively.

Many critics agreed that the series suffered a sophomore slump and that the second season failed to live up to the first.[24][25] Henry Goldblatt of Entertainment Weekly gave the new season a "B", blaming the deteriorating quality on the fact that it "morphed into four series," with "the actresses wandering through their separate scenes."[25]Robert Bianco of USA Today suggested that the series' weakness was due to Marc Cherry leaving the episodic screenwriting to other writing staff members.[4]Variety '​s Brian Lowry gave the season premiere a positive review, opining that the Lynette storyline looked "extremely promising" and enjoyed the addition of Joely Fisher to the cast as Lynette's "tight-assed new boss."[26] He identified the Bree storyline as "the real water-cooler sequence" and complimented Marcia Cross' performance.[26] However, Lowry criticized the Gabrielle and Susan storylines, opining that they are "exhibiting signs of wear and tear."[26] Michael Slezak of Entertainment Weekly noted that "Next" had "a particularly sleepy opening twenty minutes" while its exciting plot points all occurred in the second half of the episode.[27] He praised the scene in which Bree changes the tie on Rex's corpse and called Cross' performance throughout the episode "pitch-perfect."[27] Slezak also complimented Huffman's performance, but wondered if Fisher was "a steely enough an actress to go Manolo-a-Manolo with Huffman every week."[27] Though he criticized the repetitive nature of the Susan and Gabrielle storylines, Slezak thought that the Applewhite mystery would help reduce the show's chances of falling into a sophomore slump. He praised Woodward's acting as well as her character's storyline, opining, "there's something so inherently warm and maternal in Woodard's performance, such apple-pie wholesomeness, that it makes her touches of menace all the more chilling."[27] Gael Fashingbauer Cooper of MSNBC complimented that Applewhite storyline, writing: "Forget Lynette's career stress, Gabrielle's baby daddy drama, and even Bree's new widowhood: This story has legs, and apparently arms."[20] She found it strange that the Bree, Andrew, and Danielle characters showed little emotion in regards to Rex's death.[20] Additionally, she noted that the Lynette and Gabrielle storylines provided comic relief while Susan, a character "so often saddled with the comic relief of the show, had a sad and serious premiere."[20] Sarah Gilbert of TV Squad gave the episode a positive review, stating the episode delivered "lots of juicy resolution, several power suits, and, you guessed it, lots of tears and shouting."[28] Aaron Wallace of Ultimate Disney notes Susan's decreasing importance throughout the season, pointing out Bree, who "comfortably moves into position as the show's lead".[29] Also in response to Susan's storyline, many critics saw the character suffer as a result of the declining quality of the second season. Robert Bianco of USA Today wrote that the writers were making her look "too stupid".[30]

The prominence of Cross' character throughout the season was noted by many critics, who considered her to have developed into the main character of the series.

The season received mixed to negative reviews, due to production issues. However, the cast and crew received critical acclaim and numerous awards and nominations. The 58th Primetime Emmy Awards saw the series receive seven nominations, out of which five were for the production team. The series was nominated for both Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series and for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Series, as well as for Outstanding Costumes for a Series, Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series. Alfre Woodard's portrayal of Betty Applewhite was praised and resulted in a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, whereas Shirley Knight's guest appearance in the role of Phyllis Van de Kamp got her a nomination in the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series category. At the 63rd Golden Globe Awards, the series was named the Best Musical or Comedy Series, while each of the four main actresses received a nomination for their portrayals of the protagonists, but all lost to Weeds '​s Mary-Louise Parker. At the 64th Golden Globe Awards, however, the series only received a nomination for Best Musical or Comedy Series, seeing Cross and Huffman nominated for their respective roles. The fifth episode of the season received a nomination at the 2006 Art Directors Guild for the Best Single-Camera Television Series category, while the Casting Society of America nominated Junie Lowry-Johnson and Scott Genkinger for Best Comedy Episodic Casting, following their being awarded at the previous year's ceremony. The Costume Designer's Guild Awards praised the costumes used on-set, and nominated the series for Excellence for Costume Design for Television. The 18th Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Awards nominated the series for Outstanding Comedy Series, while Mehcad Brooks individual performance of Matthew Applewhite was nominated at the 2005 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Image Awards. The 2006 ceremony of the Monte Carlo Television Festival saw the series being awarded for the first time as the Best Comedy Series, before winning the same award for another five years in a row. The series was nominated for Most Popular Drama at the 2006 National Television Awards, following the nomination for the series in the Favorite Television Comedy at the 2006 People's Choice Awards, which also saw Teri Hatcher getting a nomination for her performance in the role of Susan Mayer. Felicity Huffman's portrayal of Lynette Scavo earned her an award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series at the 2005 Screen Actors Guild Awards, whereas at the 2006 ceremony, the series received a nomination for Outstanding Cast in a Comedy Series and a nomination in the Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series category for Huffman. Comedy Series At the 2006 Teen Choice Awards, both Eva Longoria and Teri Hatcher were nominated for Choice Television Comedy Actress, whereas Jesse Metcalfe's guest appearances in the role of John Rowland earned him a nomination for Choice Television Comedy Actor, which was eventually won by James Denton, for his portrayal of Mike Delfino. The writing of "Next", the season premiere, resulted in the production team receiving a nomination for Best Writing in an Episodic Comedy at the 2005 Writers Guild of America Awards, while the 2006 ceremony saw the writing staff nominated in the same category for "Don't Look at Me". The series received three nominations at the 2005 ceremony of Young Artist Awards, where Andrea Bowen was nominated for Best Leading Young Actress in a Comedy or Drama Television Series, and Cody Kasch for Best Supporting Young Actor in a Comedy or Drama Television Series. Zane Huett, however, was the only cast member awarded at the ceremony, in the Best Young Actor Age Ten or Younger in a Comedy or Drama Television Series category.

The American Broadcasting Company kept Desperate Housewives '​s original time slot, airing the series on Sunday nights at 9:00 ET. The series continued to air as a lead-in to fellow ABC series Grey's Anatomy, then in its second season, which took over Boston Legal '​s time slot after airing nine episodes in the 2004-05 prime time television season. The show minatained its position as a top ten series and became the fourth most-watched program for 2005-06 American television season,[31] with an average of 21.70 million viewers,[31] out of whom 10.09 million in the 18-49 age group.[32] ABC had three top 20 shows on the Sunday Night lineup, seeing Desperate Housewives ranked fourth, along with the other two shows, ranking fifth and nineteenth. The ninth and tenth episodes ranked first in weekly viewership.[33][34] The highest-rated episode of the season was the season premiere, with 28.36 million viewers tuning in and 10.1 rating, ranking second in the week after the sixth season premiere of CBS's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which was watched by 29.02 million viewers and received a 10.3 rating.[2] The episode, which is the second highest rated episode of the series, attracted a larger audience compared to the previous season premiere, which received a 7.8 rating and was watched by 21.64 million viewers,[35] almost seven less million viewers than "Next". Although the episode attracted less viewers than CSI, it outperformed both Lost and Grey's Anatomy, one of the most successful series of the season. The lowest-rated episode was the nineteenth, watched by 20.02 million viewers with a 7.1 rating and #5 ranking, being the first to be outperformed by Fox Broadcasting Company's House, which attracted 21.20 million viewers and received a 7.6 rating.[36] The season finale was watched by 24.23 million viewers, scoring an 8.6 rating and #4 ranking.[37] There was a significant decrease in the number of viewers, compared to "One Wonderful Day", the previous season finale, which was the highest rated episode of the series, attracting almost six more million viewers with an 11.0 rating.[38]

Zach runs away after holding Susan hostage and unsuccessfully attempting to kill Mike. Mike confesses that Zach is his biological son, forcing Susan to end their relationship, as she cannot be around Zach. In the wake of Rex's death, Bree Van de Kamp must suffer through the company of her disrespectful mother-in-law, Phyllis. While in jail, Carlos refuses to forgive Gabrielle for her infidelity, despite her insisting that he is the father of her baby. Lynette secures a job at an advertising agency and immediately learns how difficult it will be to balance work and motherhood. Betty Applewhite and her son, Matthew, do their best to keep up appearances while they are secretly keeping a prisoner in their basement.

Susan is dismayed to see that her ex-husband, Karl, has moved in with Edie Britt. Meanwhile, she and Mike continue their relationship on a casual basis. When Phyllis sees Bree seeking comfort in George Williams, she implies to the insurance company that Bree had a motive to kill Rex. Fed up with having to bring bills to Carlos in jail, Gabrielle demands control over their finances. Lynette releases a rat in her house to urge Tom to clean while she is at work. Betty slips sleeping pills into the food of her secret prisoner to keep him quiet.

Bree takes a polygraph test to clear herself of suspicion of killing Rex. She urges George, her suspected accomplice, to take one as well; both pass. Susan is jealous when she learns that Edie and Julie are entering the church family talent show. Betty deals with her secret prisoner's near-escape while Matthew tells her to be nicer to the neighbors. Lynette is unable to get the morning off from work to accompany Parker on his first day of school, so she joins him via live video chat. Gabrielle finally lets go of John when she sees him with another woman. She apologizes to Carlos for having an affair, wholeheartedly for the first time.

Susan reconnects with Mike and agrees to help search for Zach. She finds him but sends him to search for his father in Utah when he begins to ask about Julie. Gabrielle hires a successful lawyer, the handsome David Bradley, to help him get her husband out of jail. Andrew acts out when Bree tries to incorporate George into their lives, prompting her to send him back to a youth detention camp. Lynette sees the toll her long hours have taken when her son, Parker, creates an imaginary friend who is somewhat of a surrogate mother.

Susan learns that her agent and longtime friend, Lonny, has been embezzling her money. Hoping to make working with her boss, Nina, easier, Lynette takes her out drinking. However, Nina soon begs Lynette to go to the bar every night. Carlos only agrees to hire Bradley as his lawyer after Bradley threatens to pursue Gabrielle if he opts otherwise. Bree is horrified to learn that Rex died believing she had poisoned him. Chicago police arrest a man in the Melanie Foster murder case, prompting Betty to write an anonymous letter explaining that they have arrested the wrong man. This angers Matthew, who thinks that she is turning Caleb in.

Paul Young returns to Wisteria Lane and questions Susan about Zach's whereabouts. Susan tells him that she sent him to Utah. Paul later mentions this to Mike, who breaks up with Susan over the betrayal. Bree and George consummate their relationship. Lynette buys a new suit after finding out that she is the butt of jokes around the office. After being shot at the courthouse, David believes that he is in love with Gabrielle, but she discredits this claim.

Lynette arranges a weekly play date between her and another couples' children so she and Tom can have some downtime. They soon discover, however, that the other children's parents have a secret hobby of making sex tapes. Bree accepts George's marriage proposal. Later, George attacks Bree's psychiatrist, Dr. Goldfine, who had convinced Bree to reconsider the proposal. Susan and Karl sleep together in a drunken mistake after he and Edie break up. The next morning, Edie tells Susan that she and Karl are back together. Betty and Matthew discover that Caleb has escaped. After entertaining her model friends from New York, Gabrielle finds Caleb in her house. She tries to run away, but falls down a flight of stairs.

Gabrielle suffers a miscarriage after her fall and represses her grief. Susan's mother admits that Susan's biological father is a local businessman, not a deceased war veteran. Lynette worries that her children will not react safely when approached by a stranger. Bree breaks off her engagement from George after he proves to be jealous and possessive. Matthew continues searching for Caleb but is sidetracked by a blossoming relationship with Danielle. Caleb is found one night and arrested. Gabrielle identifies him as the intruder and Betty silently warns him to stay quiet.

Susan begins to build a relationship with her reluctant father, Addison Prudy. Carlos receives early parole with the help of Sister Mary Bernard, who poses a threat for Gabrielle's marriage. Lynette is promoted after Nina is fired. The police tell Bree that George was most likely responsible for her husband's death. George attempts suicide, hoping to win her back after she broke off their engagement.

Gabrielle thwarts Carlos's attempts to do charity work with Sister Mary. Andrew returns home and Bree confesses to him that she watched as George committed suicide. Addison's wife sees him and Susan together and thinks he is having an affair, forcing Susan to tell her that she is his daughter. Lynette fights for office daycare so she can see her children more often. Zach returns home and reunites with Paul. Betty and Matthew successfully sneak Caleb out of the mental hospital, but not without the attention of a private investigator.

Lynette is upset when Gabrielle kisses Tom at a neighborhood party. Gabrielle insists that it was only a joke. After Bree voices her disapproval of Andrew's homosexual relationship, Andrew threatens to tell the police about Bree's role in George's suicide. Betty and Matthew find that a private investigator hired by the Fosters has broken into their home, fell through their stars, and accidentally shot himself. They plan to dispose of his body and car but accidentally lock the keys inside the car and the body in the trunk. Susan and Julie help Mike connect with Zach without Paul's knowledge. When Paul finds out, he confronts Mike and they have an altercation. Susan drives by and accidentally crashes into the private detective's car. The trunk door pops open, the body is discovered, and the neighborhood begins to find the Applewhites suspicious.

Susan fakes medical symptoms so she can see Dr. Ron McCready and ask him on a date. When she comes clean, he is angry because he could not figure out what her ailment was; however, he did find that she has a wandering spleen. Lynette learns that Tom has thought about having a second wife and family if she were to die. Gabrielle finds out that an ex-boyfriend has posted nude pictures of her on the internet. Bree is arrested for a DUI and must walk home from jail. Betty sees her and offers her a ride home. Bree denies being drunk, but Betty does not seem to believe her. Bree furiously mentions the several controversies surrounding Betty's family, which prompts her to put the house up for sale.

Gabrielle tells Father Crowley that Sister Mary and Carlos have had sex, which, much to Gabrielle's pleasure, leads to Sister Mary being transferred to Alaska. Tom is given a job at Lynette's firm despite her reluctance. Bree finds out about Matthew and Danielle's relationship. Later, she sees Caleb in the window of Betty's house and recognizes him as the intruder. To help protect the Applewhites, Danielle tells Matthew about Andrew's hit-and-run, which resulted in Carlos's mother's death. Betty threatens to tell the police about it if she tells anyone about Caleb. Susan is nervous about being Dr. Ron's first splenectomy patient.

Carlos and Gabrielle take in Xiao-Mei, a former slave who is faced with deportation, as their maid. Susan finds out that she does not have health insurance. Karl agrees to remarry her so she can use his benefits, but they both agree to keep Dr. Ron and Edie in the dark. Bree sneaks into Betty's home to talk to Caleb. Later, Betty explains to Bree how Caleb murdered Melanie Foster. Lynette is dismayed when she sees Ed taking advantage of Tom during a series of office hi-jinks. Noah Taylor, Zach's biological grandfather on his mother's side, demands that Mike bring him to see him.

Bree babysits Lynette's children and passes out drunk, leading Lynette to conclude that she has a drinking problem. Gabrielle's mother, Lucia, shows up unexpectedly. She offers to be their surrogate mother, as Gabrielle can no longer conceive children. Gabrielle, still angry at her mother for not protecting her against her sexually aggressive stepfather, kicks her mother out. Edie is hurt and disappointed when Karl does not propose like she thought he would. Mike tells Paul and Zach to leave town before Noah can track them down.

Paul is arrested and almost killed by Noah's hired thugs. Andrew, seeking emancipation and an early trust fund, accuses Bree of hitting him while she was drunk. Bree joins an alcoholics anonymous program, not willing to let Andrew win. Gabrielle and Carlos's visit to an adoption clinic goes awry. Tom struggles for power in his marriage. Dr. Ron finds out about Susan's marriage to Karl immediately after she professes her love for Mike while under anesthesia. Felicia Tillman returns to Wisteria Lane.

Dr. Ron breaks up with Susan after he finds out that she lied about being in love with Mike. Gabrielle and Carlos find an attractive mother to adopt from; however, the woman, Libby, has not yet told the father that she is giving the baby up. After Andrew tells Bree that he will tell the judge she sexually abused him, she gets drunk and passes out in a department store. Her AA sponsor, Peter McMillan, comes to her aid. Lynette takes issue with a woman in her office who is still breast-feeding her five-year-old son. Caleb expresses an interest in Danielle.

Bree takes an interest in Peter, who is also a recovering sex addict. Lynette is compelled to give a deposition in Andrew's emancipation. After discovering that Andrew lied about being abused by his mother, Lynette protects Bree and testifies in her favor. Dr. Ron tells Edie about Susan and Karl's sham marriage and punishes them. At Edie and Karl's engagement party, Felicia Tillman publicly accuses Paul of killing her sister. Libby goes into labor and when the baby's father expresses an interest in keeping it, Gabrielle and Carlos flee the hospital with the baby.

Bree's parents show up on her court date with Andrew and have it postponed. They offer to take Andrew back to Rhode Island, but back out upon finding out that Andrew is gay. Gabrielle adjusts to motherhood after she and Carlos are granted temporary custody of Lily, the newborn baby. Parker begins to ask about sex. Susan sleeps with Karl again, thinking that he and Edie have broken up. However, Karl lied and Susan is furious that he made her the other woman. Felicia continues to antagonize Paul.

Gabrielle and Carlos obtain full custody of Lily, but Libby changes her mind and takes her back. Bree offers to be Peter's sex addiction sponsor, hoping to build a relationship. Ed has Lynette send dirty instant messages to his wife to save their sex life. When his wife finds out, she demands that he fire whoever is responsible. He blames Tom, as Lynette is too valuable to lose. Karl leaves Edie, claiming there is another woman. Edie hires a private detective to find out who Karl's other woman is. Betty sells the house without Matthew's knowledge. He and Danielle stage Danielle's near-rape at the hands of Caleb. Bree demands that Betty do something about Caleb.

Gabrielle and Carlos ask Xiao-Mei to be their surrogate so she can avoid deportation. Ed hires a forensic accountant, who uncovers evidence in Tom's expenses that he may be having an affair in Atlantic City. Betty discovers that Matthew set Caleb up before she poisons him. She locks Matthew in Caleb's old cell as punishment for making her almost murder her son. Edie learns that Susan is Karl's other woman and sets her house on fire. Andrew, still thirsty for revenge, seduces Peter and lures Bree to the scene. The next morning, Bree leaves Andrew on the side of the road.

Susan tries to get Edie's confession to burning down her house on tape. Edie catches on and chases Susan, but falls and is attacked by a swarm of yellowjackets. Danielle rescues Matthew and they run away together. Bree admits herself to a mental health facility for psychiatric observation. Lynette follows Tom to Atlantic City and sees him with another woman. When Tom returns to Fairview, he finds that Lynette has taken the kids and left. Gabrielle worries that Carlos is putting Xiao-Mei's needs ahead of hers, only a few days into the pregnancy. In a final act of revenge, Felicia frames Paul for her murder, even severing her own fingers, and leaves town.

Lynette learns that the woman she saw Tom with is Nora Huntington, his one-night stand from eleven years ago. She had a child and only recently contacted Tom about her. Lynette and Nora clash from the start and Nora announces she is moving to Fairview. Gabrielle begins to suspect Carlos and Xiao-Mei are having an affair. When she catches them in the act, she kicks Carlos out and tells Xiao-Mei she cannot leave as long as she is still pregnant. Betty discovers that it was Matthew who murdered Melanie Foster, not Caleb.

While in the mental health facility, Bree meets a visitor named Orson. Betty calls Bree to tell her about her new discovery, and Bree escapes. She confronts Danielle and Matthew at her home. Matthew pulls out a gun but is shot and killed by the police, who were called by Betty. Betty and Caleb move away to start fresh. Susan rejects Karl's gift, a house, and rekindles her romance with Mike. They plan dinner, but Mike is deliberately hit by Orson in his car and left for dead. The next morning, Orson visits Bree.